5 Valuable Lessons During Baby’s First Year

Leo turned 11 months old yesterday! Let’s celebrate the last month of having to buy formula and stating his age in months, right?

On a serious note, I cannot believe how fast the year has gone by. It seems like it was just yesterday that I saw those two lines. Moreover, I’m shocked and proud of myself for maintaining this blog for nearly a year. I started it with the intention to share my breastfeeding story and it has become a resource for first-time parents everywhere. I’ve gone through trial-and-error with several blogs in the past – but, I think I’ve truly found my niche in encouraging and empowering new moms. So, thank you for sticking with me as a reader.

That being said – I’ve certainly learned a great deal of lessons during my first year as a mama… and, I’d like to share a few of them with you in hopes that they will shed an honest light on elements of #MomLife.

1. Every little thing is going to be alright.

I drove myself crazy trying to shield Leo from bumps, scrapes, and scratches when he first became mobile. I crushed food up as small as a grain of salt so that he wouldn’t run the risk of choking. My point is: there’s certainly a difference between being vigilant and being unrealistic. Our children are much more resilient than we give them credit for – so, take off the life helmet and let kids be kids.

2. The comparison game is for the birds.

This is arguably the most important lesson I’ve learned during Leo’s first year – thanks, in part, to my veteran mama friends. As hard as it is to not compare developmental milestones of your child to another child of the same age – it does you no good to do so. Who cares if Sally’s son is crawling at 4-months while yours is struggling to master rolling over? Every child grows and develops at their own pace – and, there’s benefit in trusting that your child will set that pace.

3. True friendships withstand life changes.

I’ve been fairly vocal on here about how motherhood changed my friendships that I spent so many years nurturing. To say the least, becoming a parent might mean some friendships have to take a backseat while you establish your footprint in motherhood and adjust to your new life. In my case, the adjustment period took 7 months. Some friends were with me during that transition, some waited for me, and some fell off completely.

4. Making ‘mom friends’ is slightly exhausting.

When I was pregnant, I actively sought out Expecting Mom Groups with the hopes in connecting with other women who had babies the same age. While comforting at first, it eventually felt like I was on a constant job interview. Mom friends are valuable and mine have helped me through some confused times – but, eliminate the pressure to be-friend every mom who has a child the same age as yours. If it’s a match, cool. If not, at least you got a playdate and some adult conversation out of it.

5. Celebrate tiny victories.

Watching Leo grow and change is a lot of fun. We don’t always make it out the house or take naps on time – but, seeing him take little steps, enjoy a vegetable, drink from a cup, learn new words, and bounce to music is part of the reason why I keep striving to be a better person. You learn to value time and embrace moments that may have gone unnoticed before you had kids.

If you’ve enjoyed my posts thus far, make note that there will be some positive changes taking place on Life With Leo in year two! Stay tuned!